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Kum & Go. It’s a name as familiar to us Iowans as corn fields and the State Fair. For decades, the name has stood for a place where neighbors meet for morning coffee, where tired travelers refuel, where you can always rely on finding a bag of chips and a cold pop on a hot day.
News has recently filtered down the grapevine that the beloved convenience store chain, a staple of our Iowan landscape, may undergo a significant change. The longtime Iowa business, a beacon of Midwestern hospitality and pragmatism, has been purchased by Utah-based FJ Management. The winds of change are blowing, and with them comes the potential of a new name: K & G.
Before I delve into my thoughts on this, I need to acknowledge the respect I have for FJ Management. It’s a solid company, Utah-bred and sturdy. But we all know Iowa isn’t Utah. Not better, not worse, just different. And we Iowans, we’ve got our own way of doing things, our own way of seeing things. That includes the way we see Kum & Go.
Kum & Go is more than a name. It’s a piece of our cultural fabric. It’s the punchline of friendly jests, the sponsor of our local events, the quick-stop solution to our everyday needs. Changing it to K & G? Well, it might be more streamlined, more corporate. But, dang it, it just isn’t the same.
Sure, we’ll get used to it, as we always do. Adaptation is as Iowan as wrestling meets and tractor pulls. But will it feel the same to pull into a K & G as it did Kum & Go? It’s hard to imagine.
I’m not sure if it’s the symmetry of the ampersand or the rounded edges of the “u” and “o,” but there’s a warmth, a familiarity to the Kum & Go logo that’s soothing in its simplicity. It’s like a friendly wave from an old friend – casual, comfortable, unwaveringly Iowan.
Switching to K & G feels like a business decision made in a boardroom far away from our cornfields. And that’s okay – they’ve got a business to run. But to many of us, it’s a piece of our home that’s being rebranded, repackaged, and served back to us with a different flavor.
We’ll see how things unfold. Maybe we’ll come to appreciate this K & G. It might grow on us, become part of our routines, weave itself into the story of our lives just like Kum & Go did. But it will take time.
The ultimate truth is that no matter the name, these stores will remain a hub for our communities, a place for us to gather, fuel up, and share a few words before going about our day. We might grumble, shake our heads, and take some time to adjust, but the essence of the place will endure. After all, it’s not the name that makes a place but the people. And no matter what, we’re still Iowans – steadfast, adaptable, and always ready for a good chat over a cup of coffee, even if it’s at a newly named K & G.
Sure, it might not be the same as the iconic Kum & Go, but we’ll make it our own. Because that’s what we Iowans do. We take what life throws at us and we make it work. So here’s to K & G – may you become as familiar and loved as the name you’re replacing. And here’s to us, the people who’ll make that possible.